Queer Money®: How Gay People Do Money

On this Queer Money we talk about Financial Independence and the first step we took to achieve it. What’s most important to you? Impressing other people with the latest Prada shoes? Or giving back to the LGBTQ community? Financial independence IS achievable for each and every one of us, but the first step is getting clear on your hopes and dreams so that you can spend money in an intentional way on the things that matter most. On today’s episode of Queer Money, we’re sharing our definition of financial independence and explaining how we established our personal priorities around retirement, travel and giving back—and budgeted accordingly. We also offer insight on why many in the queer community struggle with financial independence and explore the difference between being rich versus being wealthy. Listen in to understand how financial independence allows us to live life on our terms—and learn how to make choices based on your values that guide you to financial independence!

Queer Money this week is all about the gay wedding. We've invited Aimee Palifroni of Prisma Events to share with us 7 Tips for an Affordable + Fabulous Gay Wedding. First comes love, then comes marriage. Then comes the big, old bill for the expensive ceremony and reception! But it doesn’t have to be that way. LGBTQ couples can plan a beautiful experience that doesn’t require taking out a second mortgage. So, how do you plan gay wedding that is both fabulous AND affordable? Aimee Palifroni is the Owner and Lead Coordinator at Prisma Weddings & Events, a firm that offers innovative wedding and special event planning in Colorado and beyond. Aimee has nearly 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, ranging from restaurants to event venues to hotels, and she is proud to specialize in LGBTQ weddings. Prisma’s work has been featured in Colorado Gay Weddings, and Aimee’s team was responsible for planning the Debt Free Guys’ unique wedding experience! Today, Aimee joins us to share her top 7 tips on designing a fabulous gay wedding that doesn’t go over budget. She explains how to save money by forgoing a bridal party, using digital invitations, or stocking the bar yourself. Aimee also offers insight around the possibility of hiring college students for services like live music, photography, videography, or hair and makeup. Listen in for Aimee’s advice on working with a wedding planner to create a cost-effective, experience-based wedding that celebrates you as a

On this Queer Money, we invite Amanda Clayman to discuss the results from the Prudential 2018 Financial Wellness Census and The Cut as it pertains to our 🏳️‍🌈 community. Amanda Clayman is a leader in the field of financial therapy. She serves as a money coach in private practice and financial wellness advocate for Prudential Financial. Amanda has much experience working with LGBTQ clients, having spent 10 years running the Financial Wellness Program for The Actors Fund. Amanda’s fiercely committed to helping people move beyond shame and frustration with money to find opportunities for personal growth on the journey to financial wellness. Amanda joins us to discuss the impetus behind Prudential’s 2018 Financial Wellness Census and explore the findings specific to LGBTQ respondents. She shares advice around what we can do in our everyday lives to achieve financial wellness, discussing the risks associated with remaining in the closet financially. Listen in for Amanda’s insight on the five components of a financially healthy LGBTQ relationship and learn how the queer community can prioritize financial wellbeing and get empowered both individually and collectively!

Get financially organized with the Debt Free Guys 13-Week Leap: https://debtfreeguys.com/financially-organized-leap/ Same-sex couples are far more likely to adopt or foster a child than their straight counterparts, and many of those children are dealing with physical and emotional disabilities. It is obvious that we need to plan for the unique challenges of caring for a special needs child from day to day, but few stop to design a plan for the long term. How can we ensure that our children will be taken care of when we can no longer do it ourselves? Where can we go for support in creating a financial plan that provides for us AND our adult children with special needs? Minoti Rajput is the founder and principal advisor at Secure Planning Strategies, a nationally-recognized independent wealth management firm that specializes in supporting women, business owners, retirees and special needs families. Minoti is a Certified Financial Planner and Chartered Special Needs Consultant (ChSNC) with 30-plus years of experience and an MBA in finance, and she is passionate about providing estate and financial planning solutions for families of children with special needs. Today, Minoti joins us to share the circumstances that inspired her to focus on special needs families and discuss the value of the ChSNC designation. She defines what it means to be special needs and gives us a high-level overview of the government benefits available to individuals with cognitive impairment, mental illness or acquired disability. Listen in for Minoti’s insight on developing a financial plan as a special needs family and hear her advice to LGBTQ couples adopting a special needs child.

Do you keep making the same mistakes around money? Have you tried to follow a budget, but didn’t have the willpower to stick with it long term? If so, it may be time to start exploring the unconscious beliefs that are at the root of your behavior and send a different vibration out in the world! Abundance Coach Leisa Peterson is the creator of Wealth Clinic, a platform and practice dedicated to helping entrepreneurs discover prosperity and joy in all aspects of life. She leverages her 20-plus years of experience as a financial advisor along with mindfulness training to support clients in attracting greater wealth, freedom and peace of mind. Leisa is also the architect of the iPROSPER Method and the host of the Art of Abundance Podcast. Today, Leisa joins us to offer insight around what she calls see-through beliefs, explaining where they come from and how they impact our financial lives. She shares several techniques for uncovering your negative money stories and creating alignment between your unconscious and conscious beliefs. Leisa also explains the concept of vibration, discussing how a desire for lasting happiness inspired her decision to downsize and simply her life. Listen in as Leisa walks us through her 8-step iPROSPER Method and learn why focusing on the value you bring into the world is crucial in attracting abundance.

Get more info here: www.debtfreeguys.com/147 You know the satisfaction you feel when your desk or your closet is totally organized? When you know you’re taking good care of your belongings and you have easy access to everything you might need? What if you could feel that same kind of confidence about your finances? On today’s episode of Queer Money, we’re sharing five steps to help you get financially organized. We discuss the importance of an emergency savings account, offering insight on how to put money away gradually to plan for unforeseen circumstances. We also explain how to create what we call a Happiness Budget, a financial plan that focuses your spending on aspirational goals that contribute to lasting happiness. We go on to address how getting banked can help you achieve your financial goals and why it’s crucial to save for retirement. Listen in to understand the types of insurance you might employ to protect against financial loss and learn how to ensure a secure future by getting your money ducks in a row!

This episode is brought to you by the Debt Free Guys Budget Buster Bundle, your guild to budgeting like a badass - get it here: https://debtfreeguys.com/budget-buster-bundle/ The world needs more LGBTQ entrepreneurs. But starting your own business is not easy. It takes inner strength and the desire to succeed. It means overcoming limiting beliefs and growing your enterprise one baby step at a time. But if you embrace your uniqueness, surround yourself with a supportive community, and put in the work, you CAN become a successful business leader—with the resources to give back! Terry Eaton is the President and Chief Curator at Eaton Fine Art, a full-service fine art consulting firm based in Austin, Texas. The Eaton Team serves as the premier innovative art resource for developers, brand leaders, interior designers and purchasing agents producing the art programs for hospitality and healthcare-related projects in the US and internationally. Terry’s prestigious portfolio includes The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the St. Regis Princeville Resort in Kauai, and The Ritz Carlton, San Juan. Today, Terry joins us to discuss his role and responsibilities as a fine arts curator. He offers insight around what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur, describing the drive it takes to start a business and the value of surrounding yourself with supportive people. Terry also speaks to the evolution of Eaton Fine Art, sharing the challenges he faced as the firm grew from a spare room in his San Francisco apartment to a custom, feng shui building in Austin. Listen in for Terry’s advice on overcoming bullying and limiting beliefs to become a business leader with the means to affect change!

Get the Budget Buster Bundle here: https://debtfreeguys.com/budget-buster-bundle/ You might be under the impression that the terms fabulous and frugal are mutually exclusive. But in truth, frugality is not about eliminating the fun from your life. It’s about spending money on the things that matter most to you—and finding ways to do MORE with LESS. David Rae is a Certified Financial Planner and Accredited Investment Fiduciary based in Los Angeles. He has been helping clients achieve financial security for the last 17 years, building a reputation as a specialist in serving the LGBT community. David writes a regular column for Forbes, and his work has appeared in The Huffington Post, Investopedia and The Advocate. He has also been interviewed on Nightline, the Today Show and NBC Nightly News, among many other media outlets. Today, David joins us to discuss how to live a champagne lifestyle—on a beer budget. He offers his take on what it means to live frugally, exploring why the queer community is sometimes tempted to overspend. David also offers advice on how often to treat yourself, how to balance money management with gift giving, and how to negotiate a raise as a member of the LGBT community. Listen in for insight on the distinction among the terms poor, cheap and frugal—and learn how to include your friends in your fabulous journey to financial security!

So, you’re at the bar and someone suggests a round of shots. You know that eventually, it will be your turn to buy, and you’d rather save the money for a trip you’re planning. But how do you say no to your friends? How do you overcome the peer pressure to spend? On today’s episode of Queer Money, we’re sharing five strategies to stand up to peer pressure and save money to pursue your hopes and dreams. We discuss the advantages of using cash as opposed to credit or debit cards and explain why it’s useful to have an entrance and exit strategy for enjoying a night out with friends. We go on to describe how Stephen Covey’s principle to begin with the end in mind applies in this situation, offering insight around how we prioritized our bigger goals in order to curb our margarita spending. Listen in to understand the value of an accountability partner and learn how to be up front with your friends about your money goals as you overcome the peer pressure to spend!

There is a great deal of anti-immigrant sentiment in the US right now, even among some in the queer community. But the fact is, the LGBTQ and immigrant communities have a lot in common. And if you happen to be both LGBTQ AND an immigrant, deportation back to a country where homosexuality isn’t tolerated can be a death sentence. Having the financial resources to fight for your rights is crucial for any marginalized community, but how does an immigrant learn to navigate our complex financial systems? Adina is an immigration attorney and personal finance blogger at Immigrant Finance, a platform that makes it easier for immigrants to develop stability, build wealth and thrive in a new country. When Adina’s husband moved to the US in 2013, they struggled to find information on simple things like opening a bank account or signing up for a fist-time credit card, and they created Immigrant Finance to share their years of research with others. Adina has been named one of Forbes 30 Under 30, and she is both a Fulbright Scholar and the winner of an Equal Justice Works fellowship. Today, Adina joins us to discuss the commonalities between the immigrant and LGBTQ communities. She describes the experience of being an immigrant to the US, offering insight around their money mindset and the challenge of navigating our complex financial systems. Adina explains why many immigrants distrust banks and what couples with one immigrant partner can do to prepare financially. Listen in for insight on the repeal of DOMA and its impact on immigration and learn how the immigrant and LGBTQ communities can work together for equal rights!